Friday, March 28

I still love rockabilly. The 'Greasy' in the mag's name has all sorts of angles to it. I saw Joe Clay live in London about 20 years ago and he still had it. Listen to 'Get on the right track'. It hits you in the solar plexus like a punk record, but recorded 20 years earlier. Wild.

Thursday, March 13

This is one of the first bikes I posted on the Greasy Kulture website eight years ago. I still like it. it opened my eyes to a style of motorcycle I hadn't really been aware of. And for a couple of years it was labelled as built by Jack Craig (of course, it's Scott Craig). Weird ... then Brian Setzer bought it. Then?

Wednesday, March 12

Gary and Ben sent me their new mag. It's nice quality: perfect bound, great photography, smart design, intelligent writing. Hope it does well for them. Flattrack bikes just ooze muscle: this snap was taken in the middle of nowhere in VIC, Aus, taking turns to spin that mental machine round the homemade track. Hot. HOT.

Friday, March 7

'Are you a nazi?' people used to ask. You couldn't buy those plastic lids in the UK then. I got it in a bike shop in NYC, the same trip we saw Indian Larry. Wouldn't wear those whitewalls now either. I was really pleased when Chopper Dave used a photo of that shovel as his home page image.

Sunday, March 2

When the mag is not timed properly. All these bikes have a story. Jim left that Ninja on the Westway after crashing it drunk. I grew my hair because I was rebelling against rockabilly and in honour of Ian Astbury. My first Harley!

I want to say something about Irish Rich. I've never met him. But he's been a huge influence for many years and very generous to me. He's sent me cool stuff, he's given me advice that I know I couldn't get anywhere else, and he's been writing a cool 'chopper history' column for the mag in return for nothing other than appreciation.

(If you think it's weird that I haven't met him, I am truly anti-social, in the purest meaning of the term. I live vicariously in many ways and have no plans to change.)

I'm always amazed when I read about people who still have bikes from their youth. "Yeah, I'd never sell any of my 14 Knuckleheads!". They must have good financial advisers. My F100 went last year to pay a tax bill. This rough and ready, super loud and super fast, matching numbers Commando just went to pay another tax bill (and a play mat and a cot for our new boy).

I used to like Mike Seate's tattoos when he wrote for 'Iron Horse'. I dug the reversed swastika. Then he sold that Super Glide that got restored for him by the mag and got slagged incessantly ever after. Then he cropped up writing some books. And I've supplied a few photos for his latest on cafe racers (I try to take people as I find them, and he seems pleasant enough with a genuine passion for motorcycles). This is Von Daz and his Trident-powered Triton.

I keep stopping and starting. Some days Blogs seem so predictable and embarrassing. Then some days I see other people's and get inspired. Here goes again. For a while, maybe. Anyway, here's the cover for the new issue.